This view shows several groups of similar-sized craters arranged roughly in lines. Crater chains are sometimes formed by volcanic eruptions, but the craters here were made by secondary impacts. The excavation of a large crater or basin can throw out blocks of material along radial trajectories. The blocks then sometimes strike the surface nearly in the same location, producing secondary crater chains. Finer ejecta may form the bright ribbons known as crater rays.

This image was acquired as part of MDIS's high-resolution surface morphology base map. The surface morphology base map covers more than 90% of Mercury's surface with an average resolution of 250 meters/pixel (0.16 miles/pixel or 820 feet/pixel). Images acquired for the surface morphology base map typically have off-vertical Sun angles (i.e., high incidence angles) and visible shadows so as to reveal clearly the topographic form of geologic features.

The
Images and Video's in the gallery pages may be protected by
copyright. You may download one copy for non-commercial personal
use to be displayed on your personal computer. Use other then
non-commercial requires that you obtain permission if
copyrighted from the copyright holder. See disclaimer page for
more detail. We will help direct you to the proper source if you
are unsure of copyright holder or your usage. Please always state
proper source / credit.